Remember Me
by igoal9
Summary: A Throne of Glass fanfiction, set in Heir of Fire, so please do not read if you are not up to Heir of Fire, there will be spoilers! This is the story of a fae who has met her rightful queen, and will fight to protect her queen, what will come of their relationship? Love? Hate? Fear? No one knows.
1. Prologue

Magical talismans are a strange thing, they can allow for people to read minds, shape shift, use telekinesis, and many, many other things. When a magical talisman falls into the hands of a graceling, the power both the talisman and the graceling's power is increased, but in a world where magic is banned, and gracelings are rare servants for the king and wealthy nobles, the chance of this occurring are almost zero to none. What's even rarer was the chance that a fae graceling would have possession of a talisman. The fae are granted with special gifts already, like the ability to bend water, and to shift into another creature, whether it be human to hide their pointed ears, or a wolf for their fighting abilities. For Akane Whitethorn, younger cousin of Rowan Whitethorn, her powers were always strong, and they were rare as well. At the age of sixteen, she was one of the youngest fae to be alive, especially with Rowan as her guardian and cousin. He had taken in the young fae after the murder of her parents by skin walkers, and had taught her to control her stormy, dangerous powers. Having been trained by Rowan since she was eight, the young fae had learned to better control her powers and emotions, although they would occasionally get the best of her, setting her powers rampant. What happens when she meets a demi-fae who is her rightful queen? Will friendship, love, or hate blossom from the relationship the two share?


	2. Chapter 1

Akane's nerves were on edge, her aunt was not one to typically visit the demi-fae fortress, for she had a certain hatred for the demi-fae, and although she herself was not one of them, her senses were on high alert. Perhaps Maeve's sudden appearance had something to do with Rowan's disappearance a few months back, maybe he was coming back with some guest, some important fae or human that Maeve needed council with.

"Luca, do you know why Maeve is here?" The young fae asked quietly, walking into the kitchen, thinking of what could be the reasoning behind her aunt's sudden arrival. However, a shake of the head from Luca signaled he did not know the why Maeve was there either, no one seemed to know, not even Emrys. A small sigh left her lips as she watched Luca peel potatoes, easily becoming bored. The teen glanced around one last time before heading up the tower, looking for Maeve. If she couldn't get answers from anyone else, she would go to the source to find out what was going on.

Her feet hit the ground lightly, the stone floor cool against her bare feet, but they made no noise seeing as she was incredibly light on her feet. Akane looked at the sentries, giving them a half nod before speeding up the rest of the stairs and down the hallway, to the room that Maeve was currently in. A few seconds passed before she took a deep breath, her heart beating faster than normal although she had been in the presence of Maeve several times before. With Rowan as her cousin and guardian, appointed by Maeve to take care of her, she had been in Maeve's court before and spoke with the queen on several occasions. The teen was also in line to become one of Maeve's guards, she had declined the offer a few months ago, knowing it was a suicide mission to join Maeve's personal army at sixteen. With a soft knock on the door she entered, not waiting for Maeve's response to the knock, her aunt never seemed to respond to Akane's knocks.

In the harsh light of the room Akane's odd heterochromic eyes stood out more than usual, her right pine green, her left one amethyst in color. Her eyes were what set her apart from the rest of the fae population, she was the only graceling fae to have been born in nearly eighty centuries, a longer time than even Rowan had been alive, her eyes also had slit like pupils, making them more predatory and cat like. Her eyes ventured up to Maeve's face, the look of displeasure and annoyance on her face sent chills down Akane's spine, but she would not back down. Knowing where Rowan was, well that was the most important thing to her currently, and Maeve was the only one who knew; after all, Maeve had been the one to send her guardian away.

"Your Highness…" Akane murmured softly, bending into a bow, one knee on the ground, her head dipped in respect, but also to lower her eyes from Maeve's piercing, dark gaze. If she did not show respect to her aunt, the Fae Queen of Wendlyn, the punishment would be severe, no matter her heritage or relation to Maeve. The silence that then engulfed the two females was unbearable, the hairs on the back of her neck pricked up, sensing the danger of being alone in the room with Maeve. In order to gain the information Akane so desperately wanted, Maeve could force her to bond to herself and join her personal army. Akane's sensitive fae ears picked up on Maeve's approaching figure, her steps light, but sounding heavy with impending doom. Perhaps Maeve was coming closer to inspect her, but she could also be coming closer to punish or just talk to Akane, one never knew with Maeve. A flinch escaped Akane as cold fingers made contact with her hair, the feeling of fingers playing with her hair was foreign to the teen. No one had played with her hair since she was a child, since her parents had been so brutally killed by the skin walkers that attacked her family. Maeve was not one to show affection, so the action took Akane by surprise, and it scared her at the same time. With her neck bent downwards, head tilted to the ground, she was in a position where it would be easy for Maeve to attack or harm her without Akane having a chance of fighting back.

The fingers pulled away, as if sensing the discomfort that Akane was feeling, but they reappeared under her chin, jerking it upwards as the clothed feet of Maeve had appeared within her sight. "Look at me young graceling, have you decided to join me yet? Or are you here to find information out? Or did your dear Rowan send you away to me?" The queen's voice was harsh, and Akane's jaw muscles flexed as Rowan's name was mentioned, her eyes still looking at the ground and away from Maeve's cruel gaze. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a new pain searing through her face as Maeve's cold grip tightened, jerking her face up again, "I said look at me graceling. Look in my eyes Akane Whitethorn, I am not going to hurt you." Her words however said the other, the threat in them clearly visible, the taunt seeming to say that Akane would never be able to be an equal of the queen.

Akane lifted her gaze to look Maeve in the eye, the darkness of her aunt's eyes reflecting the lightness of her own irises, the colors that separated her from the rest of her kind. The look in Maeve's eyes surprised her though, a look of pity, of curiosity, and one of respect, maybe they were there as a trick, but the emotions appeared to be genuine. After swallowing down her fear, the fae opened her pink lips, "Where did you send Rowan? He left with no warning, he only told me to meet him here." Akane said, her voice stronger and clearer than she thought she could pull off, especially with the Queen gripping her chin the way she was. The emotions that flashed on Maeve's face were gone in an instant, but Akane had been able to see them, a look of shock, and a look of uncertainness, but it was replaced by a cold, unemotional face.

"I sent him to retrieve Aelin, Aelin Ashryver Galanthynius." The words hit Akane like a punch, and as Maeve's hand left her face, it fell, her head drooping, not knowing whether or not Maeve was playing a trick with her. Could Aelin really still be alive? Why hadn't Rowan told her, why hadn't _anyone_ told her? Being from Terassen, having met Aelin and played with the demi-fae on several occasions, they had grown to be best friends, but she was supposedly killed on the same day that Adarlan took over.


	3. Chapter 2

The door opening shocked her, as did the movement of Maeve back to the rotting old desk, the owl perched on the chair behind her. The next words that slipped out of Maeve's mouth caused Akane's head to snap up, her graceling eyes widening in disbelief in shock. She had just learned moments ago that her queen was actually alive, her best friend and queen, and from what Maeve said, Aelin was here now. What was even more important was that along with Aelin was Rowan, her guardian and cousin. The young fae rose from her kneeling position, knowing that Rowan would assume that she had bonded with Maeve in order to find out where he was, it had almost happened before, so it probably wouldn't surprise him if she had done it.

"Aelin Galanthynius is dead." The words were too-quiet, different from that outgoing girl she had grown up with. Akane didn't turn to face them, not knowing how she would hold up finally seeing Rowan after he disappeared with no warning, she would either curse him out or start crying in relief; possibly both. Akane's body was stiff, her tanned skin covered by a layer of thick clothing, making her seem smaller than she was for the clothes were a size too large on her.

The conversation between Aelin and Maeve passed over her head, the fae was deep in thought, and would not have noticed where the conversation was going until she heard Maeve speak about Rowan. "Prince Rowan is from my sister Mora's bloodline. He is my nephew of sorts, and a member of my household. An extremely distant relative of yours; there is some ancient ancestry linking you. The same is with Princess Akane, she is also my niece of sorts, Rowan is her guardian." Maeve's words were lilted with her old way of speaking, but none the less Akane glared her graceling eyes at Maeve, the Queen had no right to disclose information about her to Aelin, especially knowing the history the two of them shared. "I have been waiting a long, long while to meet you. And as I do not leave these lands, I could not see you. Not with my eyes, at least." Maeve's long nails gleamed in the light, making her seem more and more dangerous. Her nails lived on in tales of the other skin she could wear, but no one lived to see anything but a flash of claws and darkness if that.

Akane zoned out slightly, feeling Rowan's gaze burning into the back of her head like a laser, but she knew he must have been listening to the history Maeve was telling of Aelin, but she knew it all. Her parents had told her about her queen and her aunt, and how Aelin's mother disobeyed Maeve when she eloped to Terassen. Akane stepped to the side when Maeve suddenly came closer, listening to the story now, standing side ways to see the look Rowan was giving her, as well as how intently he was listening to what Maeve said. It couldn't have been his first time hearing it, could it? Akane's hands formed into fists when she heard of Aelin being in a wagon headed north, most likely to Endovier.

When Aelin retorted and glared at Rowan he just shrugged, taking a step closer to Akane, his look of boredom scarring her. His boredom could only mean that he was thinking deeply or was extremely, extremely mad at someone, and that person would most likely be herself. Ignoring the rest of Maeve and Aelin's conversation, Akane held her chin high, keeping her body posture straight. If Rowan found out about how Akane had been willing to bond and sell her life to Maeve to find out where he was and if he was okay, he would probably beat her to a pulp at their next training session. When Aelin left the room Rowan stepped out of the way, giving the rightful queen of Terrassen a pathway out of the meeting room. He followed her, much to Akane's relief, but the teen stayed in the room. "Queen Maeve, why? Why have you brought her here at a time like this? You know that magic was unaccusable in her country, but you brought her here anyway and asked her to access it. That is hardly fair your majesty-" Her words were cut off as Maeve stood in front of her, her unearthly speed never ceasing to shock Akane. However, her words weren't just cut off by the sudden movement, the red handprint on her face as well as the taste of irony blood in her mouth made her stop.

"You will respect me. I am your queen now and I could have told Rowan to leave you to die, but being a graceling you are of use to me. Had it not been for your graceling nature you would be dead Akane." Maeve's words were clipped and harsh, the venom in them enough to make Akane swallow back a reply, knowing she had overstepped her boundaries. The look of disgust and hatred on Maeve's face said enough, it was true, had she not been of use to Maeve the teen would have been dead ten years ago. "Leave." The words were full of the same venom that had been used in the other statement as the Queen of the Fae turned her back to Akane, the owl glaring at Akane from it's perch on the gnarly wooden chair.

Akane turned and walked out of the room, heading to the outside, unleashing her magic in the courtyard, a sudden storm hitting the courtyard, but it was small and contained. A couple, angry tears escaped her heterochromic eyes, mulling over the words that Maeve had spoken. It was true, if Akane wasn't the only fae graceling to have been alive in centuries, she would not here, she would have died a long time ago. She hardly heard the footsteps approach her, but when a hand touched her shoulder she whirled around, face contorted in a snarl, a gust of wind pushing the being away from her. The grunt that left the being made her stop, she only knew one person with that voice, and it was Rowan. Akane's face went deadpan, her eyes glaring at him, unshed tears brimming to her lashes, not understanding why he hadn't told her where he had gone.

"I thought you were dead. Why didn't you tell me?! Why didn't you tell Emrys?! You could have told someone so that I didn't worry sick over you for the past few months! You're the only family I have left that cares about me, the only one that doesn't see me as a monster!" The words made those unshed tears spill out, finally unleashing all the confusion, anger and hurt she had felt the over the past months when Rowan had disappeared. "You know the past that Aelin and I share! Why couldn't you tell me…" Her voice cracked, breaking, as she fell to her knees, her emotions on a whirlwind.

The male had stood up since Akane started her rant, and walked over, catching her as she fell, silent sobs wracking the girl's body. Rowan rubbed her back in soothing circles, surprised at how vulnerable the girl was, she normally didn't ever cry, he hadn't seen her cry in over three years, since she was about thirteen. "I'm sorry Akane, Maeve had directed me not to tell you, she didn't know how you would react, and with your powers things could have gotten disastrous. You are no monster, you're just different Tiger-Lilly, and different is good. I missed you while I was gone." Rowan soothed the young fae softly, using the nickname he had given her when they found out what her animal form was. Akane's breathing soon evened out, the tears having stopped their relentless storm.

Her graceling eyes looked up at Rowan, broken and full of grief, still showing the fear she had felt when there was no word from Rowan while he was away. "I missed you too."

Little did either fae know was that a certain female was watching them from the Mistward (that's the name of the fortress), listening in to what had gone on between the two of them.


End file.
